Hurricane Tabby
by smush68
Summary: Got the idea while going through Hurricane Sandy, which hit the east coast of the US 2 weeks ago, leaving thousands still without heat and electricity - some without homes. Tony and Abby are stranded at NCIS during a hurricane. A Tabby romance.
1. Chapter 1

_**HURRICANE TABBY**_

**Having just gone through Hurricane Sandy here on the east coast, this was a natural story idea. At least the hurricane in my story won't be followed a week later by a snow-dropping Nor'Easter, as really happened here after Sandy. Taking a lot of liberties with Washington DC locales and weather. And YES, this is a TABBY story. Not your thing, don't read. That simple. Tabby Shippers UNITE! And please take a moment to pray for all those in New York and New Jersey still without power - heat and electricity - and many without even a home. Even better, think about making a donation to the American Red Cross to help those communities in need get the basics, like fresh, clean water. And pray that all the animals separated from their families during the storm find their homes again.**

"She knows better than to disobey a direct order from you, boss," Tony said over the phone to Gibbs, walking down to Abby's lab. "I'll check every corner of the lab. But I'm telling ya', much as our little lab bat loves storms, she wouldn't put herself in danger during a hurricane. Ok, I'll call ya' when I don't find her. Ok, later boss." He flipped his phone closed and turned the corner into the lab. He got the shock of his life to see Abby there. And she wasn't alone.

Abby tugged the fleece jacket over little Ava's chubby toddler arms. "There we go. I'll just grab my jacket, and we'll be on our way."

"_Abby!_ What are you still doing here?"

Turning with a gasp, Abby relaxed to see it was Tony. "Oh, hey, Tony. Volunteered for skeleton duty, huh?"

Tony grabbed Abby by the arm and pulled her a few feet away from the young girl sitting on the table. "You were supposed to be gone a long time ago, Abbs. What are you still doing here?"

Abby shrugged. "Well, I had a test running for Monroe's team, and Ava was napping, so I figured I'd let both run their course. But we're just about to leave now, I want to get Ava back to her mom before it gets any worse."

Pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, Tony sighed. "Abby, the Anacostia Bridge closed an hour ago. The winds have really picked up, the hurricane is supposed to be right over us in a couple of hours." He ignored her whining. "This is why Gibbs told you to move out hours ago. He wanted you home, safe, once Tabby hit."

She fretted. "I thought there'd be more time, she wasn't doing much the last I heard. I figured I'd have everything done in time…..what am I going to do, Tony? How am I going to get Ava home?" Abby bit her lip in worry.

Tony looked over at the toddler, who was swinging her legs as she waited for Abby. "You can't, Abbs. You're going to have to wait the hurricane out here. You and…Ava…" he gestured lamely to the little girl. It was no secret that Tony wasn't exactly comfortable around real little children.

Abby began to pace. "Oh my God! This is bad! Nina will never let me babysit again…. What kind of person strands a three-year old in a hurricane? It could be _hours_ before I'm able to get her home….."

Tony and Ava both watched Abby pace, and shared a look, rolling their eyes. 'Maybe this kid isn't so bad,' Tony thought with a smile. "Look, Abby, call…Nina, explain what happened and that you're keeping Ava here. Building's down to a skeleton crew, but it's safe."

"Oh! I know! I'll call Nina and tell her what happened, and that I'm keeping Ava here! The building will be safe during the storm, we've got all kinds of generators to keep things going." She pulled out her cellphone and began to dial.

Pulling out his own phone, Tony said, "great, you do that. I'll call Gibbs and get reamed over the phone for finding you here." He walked out into the hall as Gibbs answered on the other end. "Hey boss, guess what…."

Trying several phone numbers and getting 'line disconnected' messages on all of them, Abby began to panic again. Shutting the phone, she looked at Ava, who was beginning to get fidgety. "I'll be right back, one second, ok?" She ran out of the lab, bumping into Tony as he came around the corner.

"Hope you're happy. I could feel the head slap through the phone."

"Tony! What am I gonna' do? I couldn't get ahold of _anyone_! All the lines there are down or something! I tried like five different people, at least ten different phone numbers…. Nothing! Just that automated message, telling me that the line isn't in service…."

Tony wrapped Abby in a hug and walked her back into the lab where Ava was waiting.

"Aunty Abby? We stuck here?" Ava's little face was scrunched up in worry.

"Uh, yeah, kinda'. Sorry, kiddo." Abby helped the toddler take off her coat again. "But don't you worry. We're perfectly safe here. And we're going to have _fun_, I promise!"

Ava's lip and chin quivered. "You don't got much toys a' play wif."

Tony cleared his throat. "Uh, well, Gibbs suggested that you take ….Ava ….up to the daycare center. Plenty to do up there, full kitchen, place to sleep."

Abby ran over and jumped into Tony's arms. "You're a genius!" She planted a big, loud smooch on his cheek.

Blushing, Tony brushed it off like no big deal. He wasn't going to remind her it had been Gibbs' idea. "Plus you won't be alone on that floor, there's a couple senior admin working in the offices down the hall from the center." He watched as Abby and Ava high-fived. "Grab your stuff, I'll walk you up there."

_**TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY*TABBY**_

Abby glanced out the windows again as they rattled in the wind. She and Ava had been in the otherwise empty daycare center for about a couple of hours now, and Abby had been watching the storm build in intensity and strength. She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid as to ignore all the weather warnings, especially where she had someone besides herself to worry about. A child, no less. Were it just herself, she wouldn't be half as worried as she was now. She would have hunkered down in her lab with her music and her babies. No one in the building to drop off endless evidence, she could've tackled some cold cases, finished up some paperwork she kept putting off. She'd grown up in Louisiana, she was used to hurricanes. But little Ava should be home with her mom at a time like this, not still hanging out with Abby.

As the windows shook again, Ava jumped. The room may have been a toddler's toy paradise, but the young girl was starting to get fidgety. Not to mention more and more scared about the storm, which they could see happening right outside the window. "Hey Ava, what do you say we go raid the vending machines? I think we could do with a little walk." The child didn't speak, just stood and took Abby's hand.

Walking around the rest of the floor, Abby realized that they were totally alone. Tony had said that there was supposed to be some administrative office people around, but apparently they'd jumped ship before the hurricane hit the Navy Yard. Reaching the staff room, Abby led the way to the vending machines, only to realize she'd forgotten money. Ava deserved a treat, but Abby didn't want to take the time to go all the way back to get her wallet. With a peek over her shoulders to make sure no one was watching, she prepared to assist the machine in dispensing its' wares. "You didn't see this, Ava. And you're never, ever going to do this yourself, got me?" As the girl nodded, wide-eyed, Abby hit the machine in the 'sweet spot,' just like Tony taught her, and two bags of chips and three candy bars came dropping down into the tray. "Score!" She handed the candy bars to Ava and scooped up the chips. "Now remember," Abby reminded Ava again as they returned to the daycare center, "that never happened. Especially if Agent Gibbs asks." She giggled along with the little girl, who'd met Gibbs - and liked him - earlier in the day, and wouldn't believe for a second that he'd ever punish Abby.

As they walked back into the daycare center, the room phone rang, Running to pick it jup, Abby knew it would be Tony. He called every 30 minutes to check in and make sure they were ok. Abby had tried to tell him he didn't need to do it so often, but the man was almost as stubborn as Gibbs when it came to protecting her. "Hi Tony….no, we're good, we just took a walk down to the vending machines…..ok…talk to you then. Oh hey, wait. Didn't you say that there were supposed to be some admin in the offices down here? 'Cuz there's not. Offices are all dark." Abby rolled her eyes at Ava. "No, we're not freaked out, we're _fine_. I was just letting you know no one else was here. No, we don't need to….hello? Tony? Tony….Tone?" She hung up with a shrug. "He gets more and more like Gibbs everyday," she joked to the little girl. Seconds later, the power flickered on and off several times, then finally stayed off. Ava gave a small cry. Making her way over to the girl and picking her up, Abby said, "it's ok, sweetie. This is a federal building, so we've got really big generators that will give us some lights back. Any minute now," she mumbled to herself.

"I don' like a dark, Aunty Abby. Scary!" Ava whimpered.

"I know, sweetie, I know. But I'm here with you, and I won't let anything happen to you in the dark, ok?" She felt the young child nod. "Ok. Any second now, those generators will kick in and power some things up. There might be a big thunking noise, but it's ok, that's just the generator starting up. Nothing to be scared of."

"'k, Aunty Abby."

Abby had just started to head for the utility closet for a flashlight when the emergency power chugged on. The emergency lights cast a soft, amber glow around the room, and they could hear the refrigerator softly humming again. "There, see? Everything's back to normal." Just as Abby spoke, the lights flickered and went out again, then came back on. "Tell you what, let's go back to the playroom. There's a little more light because of all those windows. You can pick a game for us to play til the power comes back on, how's that?"

Ava nodded against Abby's chest sadly. She was scared and tired, and she wanted to go home. Three year olds don't generally like strange, dark places, and this place - to her - was strange, and it was dark. As long as she had Aunty Abby, she wouldn't be too scared. Picking out Candy Land, Ava sat on the floor with Abby and began to play, flinching every time the lights flickered.

_**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**_

"Don't do that again, I got worried when you didn't answer the phone." Tony knew Abby was just humoring him when she said 'ok.' "I'll check in again in half an hour, then…..yeah, there's supposed to be two or three senior administrators manning the phones, why?….they left? Are you guys freaked being by yourselves down there, cuz I can…..well then you can come up here…..Abby? Abbs? Hello? Abby!" He froze, still holding the phone when the lights flickered and went out. And sighed in relief a few seconds later when the emergency generator clunked on. Tony hung up the phone and went back to work.

It seemed like it had been hours, but it had only been fifteen minutes before Tony's gut started to twitch. Something was wrong with Abby, had to be. He sat as his desk for a minute, trying to decide if this was a 'someone's in trouble' feeling, or just a reaction to the hurricane in general. Oh, what the hell, he'd go check on Abby and the kid down in the daycare center. Couldn't hurt. He left his desk and walked to the elevator and pressed the button. And after a heartbeat, remembered what happened with Dearing's bomb and opted to take the stairs. As he walked down the hallway past dark offices that were supposed to be occupied, his gut screamed, and he began a slow jog. He was just about to enter through the daycare center doorway when there was a tremendous crash - glass shattering, the sound of wind and driving rain, things banging into other things, and two screams - one young, scared, hurt. The other older, yet still scared and hurt. One glance told him that the wall of windows had blown in with the force of the wind, and now everything in the room was flying around. His heart stopped.

"_ABBY!" _

_**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**TABBY**_

_**A/N - PLEASE REVIEW, AND MAKE MY 18 HOURS WITH NO ELECTRICITY OR HEAT (or INTERNET!) , AND **_**WITH **_**ELDERLY PARENTS THAT DROVE ME **_**CRAZY **_**THE ENTIRE TIME WITH NO COMPUTER SOLITAIRE TO KEEP THEM ENTERTAINED - WORTH IT! PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N-Mucho THANKS to my first reviewers, MANDIELOULUVSEWE, GAGA MIDNIGHT, LIFELESS APRIL, ANGELSCATIE, and THE PHOENIX1996 - **_**all fabuloso authors themselves-go read their stories! - **_**And thanks to all the favoriters and alerters and followers - Glad you're all liking my story! And thanks to the aforementioned reviewers for not raking me over the coals for posting a new story when I've got so many already in progress. Well, they DID, but they wanted to read this as much as I needed to write it, so….here we are! **

**Please continue to send prayers and positive vibes to the victims of Hurricane Sandy, most of whom are still without the basic necessities like heat, electricity, clean water, clean clothes….homes. And please support groups like the ASPCA and animal shelters all across the US, who are taking in pets left behind or lost during the hurricane. Let's hope they all get back to their families soon!**

_**HURRICANE TABBY**_

**CHAPTER TWO**

"_ABBY!"_

With no thought for his own safety, just the thought of getting to Abby and making sure she was safe, Tony ran through the daycare center. He didn't even care as his expensive Bruno Magli shoes squished on the sodden carpet. "Abby!"

He found her facedown, just off the edge of the rug, not moving. "Abby!" He knelt by her side and felt for a pulse. It was there, strong and steady. Hearing a small whimper, Tony gently rolled Abby over, and saw she'd been protecting the child. Ava, that was her name. "It's ok, kiddo. No, no, don't get up yet, let me make sure you're ok first." He ran his hands softly over her tiny body, relieved to find that, other than a few scratches, Ava appeared to be fine. Just scared. "Does anything hurt?" He gave her a big smile when she shook her head no. "That's good. Let's get you out of all this icky rain, ok?" Ava nodded and held her arms up to be picked up. Tony stared uncomfortably down at the child. Feeling a phantom head slap, he put his hands under the girl's armpits and lifted her as he stood.

"Aunty Abby?" Ava whimpered, seeing her second-favorite person in the world (the first being her mommy) lying on the floor.

Damn, he'd been hoping to get the kid out before she got a look at Abby. Glancing down at the woman in question, Tony saw a large bump rising on her forehead, just at the hairline. Abby must have hit her head when she threw herself down over the girl. "She's going to be ok," he said, telling himself that, too. "She's got a little bump on her head. I'm going to get her as soon as we get you someplace dry, ok?" Her lower lip still trembling, Ava nodded. "Ok. And then we'll all go somewhere to get warm and dry, and you can help me take care of Aunty Abby's bump. Good deal?"

"Goo' deal, Unca' Tony!" Ava smiled.

Tony startled at the title, then began walking back into the center. "Right. Stay right there." With a quick glance back to make sure the kid was staying put, he ran back to where they'd left Abby. She was just beginning to come around.

"Ava!" Abby struggled against the hands holding her down. 'Must get to Ava!' ran through her brain over and over. "Ava!"

Tony shushed her. "She's ok. Ava's fine, Abbs," he reassured the forensic scientist. "Let me check you over, then I'll take you to her." With tender hands, he checked for any other injuries besides her head. "Anything hurt?"

Abby winced and nodded. "Head. Ava really…ok?"

Checking her pupil reaction best he could in the fading light, Tony said, "just a few scratches. Won't even need a band-aid. Thanks to you." He helped Abby sit up. "Slow….there….how's that? Dizzy?"

Blinking rapidly, Abby shook her head, stopping the motion quickly. "Ow!" She raised a shaky hand to the bump. "Just a headache."

Running his hand gently over her hair, he let himself think how close he had….how close _NCIS_ had come to losing her. "I'll save the lecture for when your head's feeling better. C'mon. I promised a certain little girl she could help me nurse you back to health."

Abby stood on wobbly legs, feeling much better when Tony wrapped an arm around her waist to walk her out. Seeing Ava waiting just outside the door, right where Tony had said she'd be, Abby let herself sink to the floor and wrapped her arms around the little girl. "Oh sweet girl. So glad you're ok! I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you!"

" 'm ok, Aunty Abby. Unca' Tony tooked care of me." Ava turned to Tony, desperate for reassurance. "I stayed 'zactly where you told me to. I was a good listener, wasn't I?"

Tony laid a hand on the child's head. "You sure were. Good job, kiddo." The little girl's smile bloomed at Tony's praise. "Now, how about we get Aunty Abby up, and we'll go someplace safe." Tony smiled when Ava nodded vigorously. "Ok. You take that hand, I'll take this one, and on the count of three, we'll pull her up. Ready? One…two…_three!"_

With a tired smile, Abby let herself be lifted off the ground. It made her head spin a little, but it made Ava smile, so she'd cope with it. "Ok, I'm up. Let's get a move on." She held her hands out to Ava, but the girl was already holding her arms out to Tony, who scooped her up and settled her on his hip, looking for all the world like this was an everyday occurrence.

Seeing Abby looking at him, Tony shrugged and held out the hand not supporting Ava. He smiled when Abby entwined her fingers with his. The three of them jumped when there was another loud crash from the daycare center. "Only one place safe enough to ride out the rest of the storm," he began.

Abby just nodded. She knew where Tony was talking about. Autopsy. Underground, no windows to blow in, and it's own generator, separate from the rest of the NCIS generators. They'd have A/C, lights, power…..Ducky even had a little refrigerator in his office that usually had a good assortment of foods to choose from. They'd be good for a few days down there if necessary. Which she hoped it wouldn't be. "That's fine. Just don't tell you-know-who what it's used for."

Ava looked over at Abby curiously. "Who?" She giggled when Abby tickled her.

"_You_, you little peanut," Abby teased.

Laughing, Ava said, "I not a peanut! I's a yittle girl! Tells her, Unca' Tony!"

Tony raised an eyebrow. He didn't know how he'd gotten suckered into being 'Uncle' anything. "Ohhhh, I don't know," he began in a semi-serious tone. "You look a little peanutty to me. I know! We'll ask an elephant, cuz elephants love peanuts."

The little girl rolled her eyes at her new uncle. "Dere's no eddafints in Watchington D.Z.!"

"No elephants in Washington DC?" Tony pretended to be shocked. "Aunty Abby, don't even tell me you haven't taken the peanut, here, to the Washington Zoo. What kind of aunt _are_ you?"

Ava's mouth dropped open. She hadn't known there was a zoo! She placed the hand not wrapped around Tony's neck on her hip and gave Abby her meanest glare. "Yeah, Aunty Abby. What kine-a aunty _are_ you? Why you no take me a zoo?"

Abby gave Tony her version of the Gibbs Glare. "Thanks a lot, _Uncle Tony_." Looking down at the girl she said, "Tell you what. Soon as the weather's better, we'll go to the zoo." She smiled. "You, me…..and Uncle Tony." She smiled evilly at the 'deer in the headlights' look on Tony's face, while Ava cheered.

The trio walked into autopsy, which thankfully had lights and power. Ava's eyes went wide in amazement. "Is dis a princesses palace? Lotsa' silver and mirrs!" She ran around the room as soon as Tony let her down, looking at herself in all the shiny surfaces.

Abby giggled, watching the little girl. "Oh, _she_ gets a _giggle_ when she looks at herself in the mirror. How come _I_ get a head slap?" Tony asked, pretending to be peeved.

"Because," Abby told him, "it's _cute_ when a three year old does it. _Not_ so cute when a man of fort-mmmphhh!"

Tony's hand covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence. "Ok, ok. And I know how old I am, thank you very much. Eeeewww!" He dropped his hand quickly from Abby's mouth. "Did you just lick me? Gross!" He looked at his wet palm, trying to find a place to wipe it off. Not seeing anyplace immediate, he looked to Abby with a gleam in his eye.

Unfortunately, Abby knew that gleam well. "Don't even, DiNozzo!" She said, backing away. "One word from me, and Gibbs will kick you're as….butt!" She'd forgotten there were little ears. Tony kept coming, waving his wet hand. "And what's left over when he's done, _I'll_ boil from the inside out, leaving no forensic evidence….!" Tony had backed her into a corner, and he took a step closer. Then another. Until there was less than an inch separating them. Abby suddenly began to get another vibe from Tony, and she stared into his eyes, looked down at his lips, then back in his eyes, to find him doing the same. A giggle from across the room broke the trance, and Tony took a few steps back, wiping his hand down the front of his suit jacket.

"Only because you scare me more than Gibbs," he said. He was a little confused about what had just happened. Had he and Abby….had a moment? And why didn't that make him want to run for the hills?

Abby was frozen in the corner, even though Tony had backed away several feet. Did she really get that vibe from _Tony_? Thinking on it for a minute, she wondered why the idea didn't bother her. As she slowly made her way back toward the center of the room, she saw that Ava was rubbing her eyes. "I think someone needs a nap."

Ava merely nodded, and held her arms up to Abby, who picked her up and gave her a little hug. "C'mon, Doctor Ducky has a nice couch you can cuddle up on." The little girl was asleep by the time Abby laid her down, thumb securely in her mouth. Abby debated pulling it out - she knew her friend Nina, Ava's mom, didn't like to let her do that. But Abby figured that after the events of the day, a little thumb-sucking wouldn't hurt. She sat at the end of the couch, feeling pretty drained herself. With a sigh, she brought her legs up and snuggled deep into the pillows Ducky decorated the couch with.

"Don't get too comfortable," Tony said, walking in with a cold gel-pack. "Here, put this on your head." He saw Abby wince as she did as he asked. "Let me check your pupils again now that we have light…..looks ok, I guess," he sighed. "Any dizziness?"

"No. Just a headache." She sat quietly for a moment, holding the cold pack on her head. "Thanks, Tony….for getting us out of there." Abby looked at him. "I was kind of scared, for a minute. The crashing….kinda' reminded me….."

"The bomb?" Tony asked softly. Abby nodded sadly. "Yeah, me too. Guess stuff like this will, for a while." He looked down at his hands, at a loss for words. "You know….if you ever….I'm always here for you, Abbs. You know that, right?" He looked back up at her, serious yet uncertain.

Abby smiled. "I know, Tony. Just like I'm always here for you, too, if you need me." They shared a smile, until Abby yawned.

"Get some rest," Tony said firmly. "You've had just as big a day as she did," he nodded to Ava. "I'll have to wake you up once in a while, because of your head, though."

Abby yawned again, already half-asleep. "'s'ok, Tony. Un'ers'and," she mumbled, and dropped off to sleep, never even feeling it as Tony ran his hand over her hair, then took the cold pack from her.

"Sleep well, Abbs….."

_**TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY~~TABBY**_

_**This is the shameless begging for reviews portion of our chapter. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks - - you'll make my day if you review!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N-Once again, dedicated to those in NY and NJ, still suffering from Superstorm Sandy. There are still a significant number of families without a place to live, their homes destroyed in the storm. And for all the animals displaced or lost - may they find their way back home.**_

_**HURRICANE TABBY**_

**CHAPTER 3**

_**NCIS**_

_**Autopsy**_

Having taken a few minutes to run to his locker to dry off and change, Tony was now touring autopsy, picking up instruments, and playing with things he shouldn't. A whimper from Ducky's office caused him to drop the doo-hickey he was playing with, with a loud clatter. He paused to listen, see if it was his imagination. He'd just about convinced himself he'd been hearing things when it came again - a sound like a puppy in pain, then a small cry. The girl. Ava. He walked quickly into the office to calm her before she woke Abby.

As he entered, he saw the little girl still lying on the couch but awake and in tears, thumb in her mouth. Tony felt a pang of panic - he had no experience in comforting children. He sucked in a breath, reminding himself he was a Big, Bad Federal Agent. He could handle one teary, little girl.

Several minutes later, he was seriously considering his badge and gun in, and conceding that he was _not _the Big, Bad Federal Agent he thought he was. Taken down by a three-year old.

No amount of pacing and shushing with Ava in his arms could stop the flow of tears. At least it wasn't the hyperventilating kind that it was before. He figured that the events of the day, coupled with not being with mom had upset her normally routine schedule. He glanced down and grimaced at the big wet spot on the shoulder of his OSU sweatshirt. His stomach rolled, knowing that some of the stain was stuff from the little girl's runny nose. He'd worked some gruesome crime scenes in his day, observed bodies in various stages of autopsy. _Those_ things, his stomach could handle. Kiddie snot? Just thinking about it almost made him gag. He'd stopped using a glove to wipe her nose when he'd realized it was going to be such a frequent activity. He made a mental note to tell Ducky he needed a new box of gloves.

Tony wiped her nose and threw away the paper towel - he'd used up all the tissues already. "Shhhhh, bambina…..it's ok," he murmured softly.

"(Sniffle) Unca' Tony? (sniffle)" Ava whimpered.

"Yeah, peanut?"

"What's Bambi-na?"

Tony leaned against one of the metal autopsy tables. "Bambina? I called you 'sweet, little girl' in Italian."

"Oh. (sniffle) Wha's 'talian?"

Tony smiled and tapped Ava on the nose with a fingertip. "Italian is the language the people in the country of Italy speak."

"Oh." She snuggled against his shoulder. "Why you call me Bambi?"

He chuckled. "Cuz you're a little girl, and you happen to be sweet."

"Oh." Her thumb went back in her mouth. She sighed. "My daddy dudnt call me Bambi."

"No? What does your daddy call you?" Sweetie, Cutie-Pie, Honey-Bunch, he figured. He certainly wasn't expecting the answer he got.

"Damp kid."

Tony almost dropped the young girl. He _had _to have heard her wrong. "What was that again?"

"Damp Kid. '_Shut that damp kid up.'_" When Tony didn't say anything, Ava sighed again. "I cry too much, Unca' Tony? Now _you_ call me Damp Kid too?" Her lower lip trembled.

Wrapping the child in his arms, Tony hugged her. "Mia Bambina," he said, huskily, "your daddy is so, so wrong. _You_," he kissed the top of her head, "are the sweetest, little girl I know."

"I still you Bambi?"

Straightening, Tony walked to the chair at Ducky's desk and sat, so he could hold the child more comfortably. "My sweet Ava, you will _always_ be my bambina."

Ava sighed, like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. "An' you my Bambo, Unca' Tony."

Chuckling again, Tony kissed her sweaty temple. "Well, I'm a little too old to be a 'sweet, little boy,' but thank you."

Thumb in her mouth, eyes beginning to droop, Ava snuggled closer to Tony's chest. "You tell me story, Unca' Tony?" she asked around a yawn. "P' ease?"

A story? The thread of panic picked up again. He didn't any child-friendly stories….."Ummmm….what kind of story do you want?"

Ava yawned again. "'Bout princesses."

Of all the things in the world she had to choose, it had to be the _one_ thing he knew absolutely _nothing _about. "Umm….princesses, princesses…." he muttered to himself. The only princess story that popped into his head was…..he sighed. "Once upon a time….."

He was in the middle of his story when Ava fell into a deep sleep. A slight noise from Ducky's office made Tony look up to see Abby in the doorway, rumpled and bruised.

"Only you could turn _**The Princess Bride**_ into a children's story," she teased in a raspy, sexy, just-woke-up voice.

Tony smiled. "It's a gift."

Abby came and sat on Ducky's desk, putting herself next to him. "I'm sorry you got stuck taking care of her by yourself. How long was she up?"

Tony checked the clock on the wall above them. "About an hour and a half. She wasn't any problem."

Pointing to the big, wet patches on his shoulder and chest, Abby said, "Oh, I doubt that. I know that's your favorite OSU sweatshirt. I have this great stain remover I made…"

"Not a problem, Abbs," he said firmly, almost protectively.

Abby looked at Tony, wondering what had changed him in the last few hours. He looked fatherly….sitting with Ava against his chest, his heartbeat right under her ear. "Ok."

Tony checked Abby over visually. The goose egg on her forehead was starting to turn black and blue, spreading down toward her eyebrow. Other than that and looking tired, she looked ok. "How you feeling?"

She shrugged. "I wouldn't be lying if I said I've felt better." She swung her legs, looking at Tony. "You want me to put her down?"

Standing with only a little trouble, Tony shook his head. "Nah, I'll do it." He walked into the office and lay Ava tenderly on the couch, brushing her damp curls away from her face, and felt a surge of anger rise up in him. How could anyone call this sweet child a 'damn kid'? Especially her own father! "Sleep well, mia bambina." He returned to the outer room to find Abby still watching him. Feeling exposed, he put his frat-boy persona on. "That's _one _little girl taken care of," he waggled his eyebrows up and down. "Let's play Doctor!"

Abby's eyes grew wide, but she smiled just as wide. "Tony! There's a three year old right over there!" But she put her hand in his as he helped her off the desk and over to one of the autopsy tables.

"No, I mean _really _play doctor. I need to check your eyes."

Her smile fell. "Oh. Well, there go all my autopsy innuendoes." She hopped up and sat on the edge of the table, looking up and down, following his finger as he asked. "Well, Ducky, am I going to live?"

Tony did his best (eye roll) Ducky impression. "You know, this whole taking cover in a hurricane reminds me of a time in the Congo during monsoon season….." Seeing Abby's look and giggle, he stopped and gulped. "He's right behind me, isn't he…"

Abby burst out laughing. "No, I'm just kidding! But really, everything's ok, right?"

Tony sighed. "Yeah, I think so. Your eyes are pretty." He realized what he'd said and rushed to cover it up. "Good, pretty good. Not that they're not pretty. They _are_, it's just, in this context, they look fine…ya' know, ok….and you can interrupt me anytime here, Abbs."

She smiled, "I'm having too much fun watching you squirm."

"You're evil, Sciuto."

"Nah, it's just the outfit." Abby jumped off the table and followed Tony back to Ducky's desk. He let her take the chair (not to be a gentleman - he knew she liked to spin around on them).

"Hey Abbs….what do you know about Ava's father? He in the picture?" Tony asked casually.

"As little as he can get away with. The few times he _does _take her, it's only to get back at Nina for something. Why?"

Tony didn't answer. "What kind of guy is he?"

"You mean other than being a scumbag?" Abby scrunched up her face. "Loud. Obnoxious. Everything has to be his way."

"Or what?"

"Huh?"

Tony stopped her spinning. "His way, or _what_?"

Abby shrugged. "I don't know. I've actually only met him once or twice. Why?"

He ignored her. "You think he ever hurt Ava or her mom?" Abby slammed to a stop again.

"_What_?" she screeched.

"Nothing, it's nothing."

Abby stood in front of him, hands on her hips, Gibbs Glare on her face. "Tony DiNozzo, you start talking right now, mister ! Why do you think he hurts them?" She immediately grew concerned. "Did you find…?"

Putting his hands on Abby's shoulders, Tony said, "no, no, nothing like that. Just something Ava said." He wilted under Abby's stare. Some Big Bad Fed _he_ was turning out to be. He sighed. "I called her 'bambina.' She asked what it meant, I told her it was 'sweet, little girl' in Italian. She said her father never calls her that. When I asked what he _does _call her….." he sighed. "she said he calls her 'damn kid.' Or as she says, '_damp_ kid.'"

Abby threw her arms around Tony. "That poor baby! Oh Tony….thank you for telling me. I've gotta' tell Nina."

Tony hugged Abby back "That's why I asked if he was in their lives. Figured her mother should know." Abby clung to him for several minutes, and that was just fine with him

She finally pulled back and wiped her eyes, sniffling. "Um, do you think I could run to my lab? I want to change, these are still a little soaked."

Tony took it for what it was - a need to escape for a few minutes to pull herself together. "Don't take long. We're kind of out of the loop down here. I don't know what's happening with Tabby or if the building is still safe. No cell service. Radio fades in and out, lots of static."

"I'll be quick, I promise! Lab, change, and back."

He sighed. He'd feel better if she didn't go alone, but he couldn't leave the bambina here by herself, either. "No trying any of your babies to see if they work, no computer, no stroll around the building looking for damage…" Tony saw the mutinous look building in her eyes. "Promise me, or you're not going anywhere."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Fine. I won't go anywhere else, won't stop to check for signs of life, just changing and back. I promise." As Tony smiled, she added snarkily, "daddy."

Tony raised an eyebrow and took a step closer, into her space. "Don't make me put you over my knee, little girl," he murmured roughly. "I don't want to have to punish you."

His eyes smoldered. Her insides melted. "What if I _want_ to be over your knee, big daddy?" she rasped.

Tony stared into her eyes, beautiful green eyes, then down at her lips. Her dark lipstick had been worried off between her teeth, but those lips were still damn tempting. His eyes shot back to hers when she said she _wanted_ to be over his knee, and he swallowed his tongue. She smiled that devious smile and headed for the door, his eyes following that swaying ass every step of the way. Damn!

"Back ASAP, 'daddy,'" she said with a giggle, and was gone. Tony stood rooted to the same spot for several seconds after she was gone. Then he made his way over to the drawers where the bodies waited for autopsy. He scanned the numbers, found the one he was looking for, and opened it. "Good location, quiet neighbors, just the right square footage….perfect place to be stored after Gibbs kills me when this is all over." He shut the door on his future resting place with a grimace.

_**SHAMELESS BEGGING FOR REVIEWS! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! PLEASE! AND THANK YOU!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**HURRICANE TABBY**_

**CHAPTER 4**

Tony paced the confines of autopsy waiting for Abby to come back from her lab, where she was changing. He'd told her she had ten minutes. _Ten minutes_. It was well past that now. Had to be. As he walked past Ducky's office he peeked in on Ava. Still sleeping soundly. _Cute kid_, he thought to himself, getting angry again that anyone could ever call her a 'damned kid.' He made himself move on and concentrate his anger on Abby. Didn't the woman know how to tell time? Ten minutes doesn't mean fifteen minutes, or twenty-five minutes. It means _ten_! It's been….he looked at his watch and ground his teeth in anger… _thirteen minutes_! He was dying to go looking for her, but he didn't dare leave Ava alone.

Hearing the door creak, he looked up and saw her, in tight, well-worn blue jeans and big baggy sweatshirt, sleeves rolled up. "Abby!" He stormed over to her, ready to give her a piece of his mind. "Where have you been? I told you _ten minutes_! What….." He had to stop speaking because Abby was hugging the breath right out of him, her head tucked into his chest. Something was wrong. "Abbs?…. What's wrong, are you ok?" Tony asked worriedly, his arms wrapping around her, holding her close.

Abby sniffled. "I don't know," she hedged, never letting up on her hug.

"C'mon, Abby, talk to me," he encouraged, untangling himself from her arms and putting his own across her shoulder, leading her to sit on one of the gleaming silver autopsy tables with him. Once sitting, he again pulled her close. "What's up, little buttercup?"

Sighing, Abby snuggled against Tony's chest. "Well," she sniffled again, "I know you told me not to stop and look at anything, but….I did take a look out the windows in my lab. I think we're in the eye of the hurricane, because there wasn't much blowing around."

"And this has you so upset why?" Tony asked, kissing the top of her head.

Abby sat up a little and looked at Tony. "Because there was _nothing_ blowing around. There's nothing out there, Tony. It's like a ghost town. Only it's worse than a ghost town, because instead of a desert, there's water everywhere, and trees are down, I even saw a few live wires sparking." She was almost ready to cry. "I'm….I'm scared, Tony."

Tony saw the fear in Abby's eyes, and the silent plea begging him to make everything alright in The Wonderful World of Abby again. He pulled her against his chest again and hugged her. "We're ok, Abby…."

"We're _not ok, _Tony! What if trees fall across all the roads? No one would be able to come in and rescue us! Or…or what if the sparking wires start a fire? And there's debris blocking all the exits, and we can't get out? We could _burn _to death! Or suffocate from smoke inhalation! That's a _horrible_ way to die, Tony, you're aware of everything going on around you, but it just gets harder and harder to breathe…."

"Hey, been there, done that, survived it. The plague, remember?" He gave her a little squeeze.

Oh! How could she have been so mean as to remind him of that? She gasped. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Tony, I didn't mean…." She pushed herself away so she could look at him.

Tony pulled her back to his chest with a smile. "'s'ok, Abbs. Doesn't bother me to talk about it anymore." He rubbed her back gently. "As for the trees and sparking, live wires…..they're no match for Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Nothing would keep him from getting to you, you know that. He'd take on anyone and any_thing_ to make sure you were safe."

With a small smile, Abby sighed. "Yeah, I know." When Tony was quiet, she rushed to add, "he would for you, too, Tony! You're like a son to him, you know. He'd never tell you that, but you are. Like when you were agent afloat? And just a little while ago, when the Director had you undercover watching Agent Barrett…."

Tony pulled away and placed a finger over her lips with a smile. Typical Abby! "It's ok, Abbs, I know." He couldn't seem to move his finger away from the softness of her lips. He stared down at where his finger rested, wondering what those lips would feel like on his….

Abby felt the soft pressure of Tony's finger on her lips, saw him staring down at her mouth, and wondered what the soft pressure of his lips on hers would feel like. "Would _you_, Tony?" she murmured against his finger.

Still dazed by the feel of her lips moving under his finger, he rasped, "Would I what?" He swallowed hard.

"Would you? …Take on anyone…or anything…?"

Without him being aware of it, Tony's head began to lower towards hers. "For you….." Leaning in, he placed his lips to Abby's, gently at first, giving her time to stop him, to push him away. She whimpered. And pulled him closer. Opened her lips, tongue searching for his.

Oh. My. God. She was kissing Tony. Tony was kissing her. Kissing _her_! Abigail Sciuto! She moaned at the thought, and her fingers found their way into his hair. His soft, short, silky hair.

Oh. My. God. He was kissing Abby. Gibbs was going to kill him! …. Tony felt her hands in his hair, felt her sigh against his lips and framed her face with his hands, holding her in exactly the right spot for his lips. His fingertips traced the outer shell of her ears, stroked the lobes, feeling a rush of satisfaction when Abby shivered. He dropped his hands to her neck, slid them softly down to her shoulders, down her arms to her hands, tracing her fingers.

With another whimper, Abby intertwined their fingers so they were holding hands, causing Tony to moan. He squeezed her fingers, groaning when she returned it. He pulled his hands from her grip and placed them on her small hips, holding her in place. In a swift, experienced move, he rolled himself off the metal slab so he was standing, Abby still sitting on the table. He dropped one hand to the outside of one of her knees and moved it to the side, then stepped into the v of her legs. Legs that instantly hooked around his hips, pulling him closer to Abby.

Both Abby and Tony moaned when his hardness met her softness. Even through two pairs of jeans, it was still an explosive moment. Abby couldn't believe she was doing this, and doing this with _Tony_! Never had it felt so comfortable, so right, and so exciting at the same time. She felt Tony's lips travel down her jaw, licking and nipping, sliding down from her ear to her neck, while she gasped in lungfuls of air, trying to catch her breath. She gave a little yelp when she felt Tony nip her neck and put his hands under her butt and lift her closer to his erection at the same time. Ohhhhhh my God, the rumors she heard whispered in the break room weren't just rumors….there really was _nothing_ little about DiNozzo!

Hearing her cry, Tony made to pull away, but was stopped when Abby wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him back to her mouth for another fiery, wet kiss. For a split second, he let his mind wander, and realized just how natural this….with _Abby_….felt. Then Abby circled her hips against his, and all rational thought fled his head. One hand on her ass holding her close, he ran the other up her back, lifting the baggy sweatshirt as he went. Only to almost lose what little control he had left when he discovered she was braless. Abby squirmed against him again, and one of her hands grabbed for the arm behind her back. He put up a struggle - her skin was so soft and smooth - but stopped when he realized she'd dragged the hand around to the front. Where it now rested just below her unfettered breasts. He reluctantly released her mouth, rested his forehead on hers, breathing heavily. He had to make sure this was what she wanted, that she was ok with this. Because while it might just kill him, he would stop if she said no. "Abby?" he whispered, unsure, hopeful.

Abby gazed into Tony's eyes, seeing the uncertainty, the anticipation, the honesty in them, and she knew if she said 'stop,' he would. She knew he wouldn't ever hurt her for the world. "Is this for real, Tony?" she asked in that raspy voice of hers, feeling tears build in her eyes. "I don't think I can be casual about this….not with you…." Oh God, she'd cry if he said 'no' or let her go now.

Tony softly placed a chaste kiss on her lips, her cheek, her forehead. "I'm done with casual, Abby." He tousled the bangs on her forehead with his free hand. "I _want_ to be done with casual." Cupping her cheek, he murmured roughly, "with _you_."

Abby groaned. Tony had no idea just how sexy that voice was. "Me, too."

They stared into each other's eyes, and as if practiced, their heads moved toward each other, lips meeting in a soft, gentle kiss. When they separated for a breath, Abby realized she'd forgotten to answer Tony. She put a hand to his cheek. "Yes, Tony."

For a split second, Tony wondered, 'yes _what_?' then remembered he'd asked her a question. And she just answered. With a '_yes_.' He wanted to shout for joy, but settled for that gorgeous smile. With another soft kiss, Tony began to help Abby off with her sweatshirt. It was almost over her head when she all of a sudden stopped him. He'd known it was too good to be true….

Abby scooted closer to him, legs still wrapped around his hips, locking behind his back. She wasn't going to let him get away now, she just needed him to understand one little thing. "It's still 'yes' Tony. I haven't changed my mind. It's just….there's a three year old in Ducky's office that could walk out here any second…." She hoped this didn't put him off.

Tony managed to hold back the sigh of relief. She didn't want to end this. He'd forgotten about Ava, sleeping on the couch in the other room. "I can work with that," he rumbled, sending Abby a wink, and he smiled when he saw the color of her eyes change to a deeper green.

Abby sent him a sexy smirk of her own. "I was hoping you'd say that!" She pulled him back down to cover her lips by the neck of his sweatshirt.

_**TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY**_

Abby and Tony were plastered together, one of her hands cupping his rock-hard erection through his jeans, the other around his neck, holding him close, mewling and cooing in his ear. Said mewls and coos were, in turn, turning Tony on even more. One of his hands cupped one of Abby's knees, holding her lower body as close to him as she could get, the other was under her sweatshirt, playing with her braless breasts. He murmured words of encouragement in a low, deep voice. They'd lost all track of time….until a cry from the office behind them jolted them apart.

"Aunty Abby!"

As they hurried to right their clothes before Ava could run out and see something she shouldn't, Tony's cell phone suddenly came alive. Picking it up, he saw it was Gibbs. "You take the kid, I'll take the boss," Tony said, opening his phone. "Boss! When did the phones start working again!"

Abby lost track of Tony's conversation as she picked up little Ava, cuddling her close. "You ready to wake up, sugar plum?"

Ava scrunched up her nose. "I not a sugar plum, I a bambi!" Abby laughed and hugged the child close. "Yes you are, kiddo." Both girls looked up as Tony cleared his throat and walked in. "Unca' Tony!" Ava jumped from Abby's arms to Tony's, barely giving him time to prepare to catch her.

He cocked an eyebrow at Abby. "One more thing she's learned from you. The art of surprise." He kissed Ava's forehead. "Have a good nap, mia bambina?" He smiled when she nodded. "Well then, how'd you like to get outta' here and go home?" His ears rang with the echo of both Ava's and Abby's shouts of joy.

"Is that what Gibbs called to tell you? It's safe to leave?" Tony barely had time to get in a quick kiss before the autopsy doors swished open.

"Abby!" Gibbs' concerned voice called from the outer room.

"Gibbs!" Abby ran from the office, full speed ahead for Gibbs. "GibbsGibbsGibbsGibbs!" Tony, still carrying Ava, took his time walking out behind Abby. "And I'm sorry, I thought there'd be time for the tests to finish, and then I could take Ava home, but then Tony came down and said the Anacostia had closed already, and…" She talked while Gibbs did a visual check, making sure she was ok. He scowled when he saw the bump and bruising on her forehead, touching it gently. Gibbs turned angrily to Tony, about to read him the riot act when Abby stopped him. "I'm ok, Gibbs. It could have been a lot worse if Tony hadn't gotten Ava and I out of there. The windows blew in, knocking me off my feet. But Tony ran in and took Ava out, then came back for me." She looked bashfully at Tony. "He saved my life, Gibbs."

Pressing a fatherly kiss to the bump, Gibbs said, "c'mon Abbs, I'll take ya' home."

Abby shot a look at Tony. "Um, I'd rather go with Tony, if it's ok with you," she asked Gibbs sheepishly. "We need to take Ava home first. And I'd….well, he's taken such good care of me, Gibbs. I kinda' want to finish out the storm with him. If that makes any sense."

Tony busied himself with helping Ava on with her coat so he wouldn't have to look Gibbs in the eye, afraid the older man would know exactly what had happened between he and Abby, and wasn't ready to die just yet. He and Abby still had unfinished business. "It's fine with me, boss."

Gibbs looked from his SFA - his son, for all intents and purposes - and Abby - his daughter in all but blood. There was something…..Abby was stammering nervously. And Tony was blushing. He smiled to himself. He'd been waiting over ten years for these two kids to discover what was right under their noses. But he'd never tell _them_ that! "You sure, Abbs? I don't mind…."

Abby smiled at Tony. "I'm sure, Gibbs. Tony will take care of me." She took Ava from Tony's arms and left autopsy, heading for the stairs, leaving Tony alone with Gibbs. Tony gave a self-conscious laugh as Gibbs got in his face. "Heh, heh, uh, the storm, ya' know, and…." He almost swallowed his tongue from the head slap the older man gave him.

"You'd _better_ take care of her. Or her boiling you from the inside, out, will seem like a walk in the park. You understand me, DiNozzo?" He gave Tony his best squinty glare.

Tony gulped. "Loud and clear, dad. I mean, boss. Gibbs. Sir. Sorry! Didn't mean to call you sir, boss. Gibbs…" He sighed with relief when Gibbs gave him the 'get out of here' nod, and he ran off after Abby.

Gibbs watched Tony's hasty exit with a smile. Then he walked back into autopsy, looked over the numbered chambers and pulled one out. "Good location, quiet neighbors, the right square footage….the perfect place for him if I have to kill him….." He slammed the door shut with a smile, sure he wouldn't need the chamber, and walked out of autopsy, turning out the lights behind him as he left.

Typical psychic Gibbs, he never knew that the chamber number he'd picked to store Tony in was the same exact one Tony had picked for himself as things began heating up between himself and Abby.

Or did he….?

**THE END**

_**TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY~~~TABBY**_

_**A/N - **_**Thanks for joining me on my trip through Superstorm Sandy, back in October of 2012. FYI, there are STILL people in NY and NJ whose homes were destroyed by Sandy without a place to live. So please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.**

_**A/N 2 - **_**Shameless begging for REVIEWS! Please, please, please! Please REVIEW if you've read this far! REVIEWS are almost as good as Abby Hugs! And I could use a bunch o' both righ now! So please! Stroke my fragile ego! Please! And thanks!**


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